I listen to talk radio sometimes, mostly just while driving to and from work. (For you Occupiers out there, here is a link where you can learn more about this “work” thing. See in particular section 1.2, “Getting a Job.”)

For the past two days, a work assignment has required me to listen to talk radio all day long. I don’t really mind except that it gets me riled up.

Right now everybody’s talking about the HHS mandate requiring all employers — including Catholic hospitals and schools and other religious institutions and individuals — to provide insurance plans that include free contraception, sterilization, and abortion drugs for employees.

I already wrote about why this flies in the face of everything America is supposed to stand for — namely, liberty. (Occupiers, look that up too. It’s that thing that gets sacrificed when other people have to provide you with what you feel you deserve.)

Anyway, I was listening to Rush Limbaugh today, and he was talking about the HHS mandate. I’m paraphrasing here, but basically he boiled it down like this:

Barack Obama, his administration, proponents of this health care regulation, abortion advocates, feminazis (his word), and pretty much all people who lean to the Left in American politics are deeply convinced that contraception should be something everybody can get anytime.

All these people are so convinced of this, so vocal, so organized, with big fancy multi-million dollar organizations like NARAL and Planned Parenthood, that the government feels confident to enact legislation that makes people provide abortion and contraception for others whether they want to or not.

What all this boils down to is a very simple thing: a significant number of people want to have sex without it resulting in babies. I’m not going to go into sexual morality right now. I’m gonna get bigger with this and maybe blow your mind a little.

It all boils down to babies.

Really think about it. I want you to consider it for a second. All these websites and rants and laws and organizations and talk shows and signs and court cases, every conflict that’s ever occurred over abortion or birth control, boils down to this:

I stopped listening to Rush at that point ’cause I had other things to do, but here’s what he didn’t get to: babies equal responsibility. These people don’t like responsibility because it requires them to sublimate their own desires for more video game time, an Escalade, venti half-caf caramel macchiatos, and/or looking cool in bars. The responsibility of a child makes them look and feel less awesome, independent, and progressive. It is not the gentle, part-time grad-school kind of responsibility, but the kind that requires selflessness and sacrifice, which is both scary and mean.

Here’s the other thing: babies also equal people, and those people don’t like people. Most of the same people who advocate for birth control also are totally convinced of the thoroughly disproven “population bomb” theory, that basically we’re gonna bazookadruple our population in like three months — any minute now — and India is gonna explode and every single person in Africa is gonna thirst to death and 4 billion Chinese people are gonna move completely into the United States starting in Kansas and working their way out in beautiful and orderly concentric circles of need and death because there’s not enough food and there’s too many people and aaaugugughghghghhhhhh overpopulationnnnn!!!

The problem is it’s not true. I’m too tired to hit you with all the scientific data. Just type “overpopulation myth” into the search box and lots of earnest bearded academics will tell you overpopulation why it’s super true and lots of exasperated-sounding scientists will tell you why it’s not true. You can read both sides and decide for yourself.

The point is that there is a really surprisingly huge faction of the Left in America who believe humans were created for earth and not the other way around. These are not crazy fringe-dwelling people who live in squats and eat only dumpster food, either. I’m talking people I’m related to who wear normal pants and eat with utensils. They will look me in the face and tell me we’re all gonna die very soon because of global warming, which has something to do with meat and cars, and that overpopulation will destroy us all any minute (“In fact, it’s already starting.”), and furthermore, “Humans are the worst thing that ever happened to the planet. We’re, like, a virus. Like in The Matrix, y’know? It’s like, the world would be better off without us.”

(Now that picture makes sense. Oooh, I’m good.)

He then sits and basks in the profound humility and existential cleverness of this idea, leaving me to wonder: why? Why earth without humans? Why a wish, however clever, that eradicates itself?

I think of the movie I Am Legend, in which Will Smith is the last human inhabitant of New York, and goes out to hunt deer in an awesome car amongst the wild and overgrown detritus of the city. I recall deer leaping over tangled grasses and stalled cars, darting between buildings and across broken bridges, and ask myself: Would anyone, even the so-called earth-firsters, go see that movie if there were zero humans instead of one? If it was just two hours of stupid deer leaping around in the aftermath?

No.

But they haven’t thought that far ahead. The truth is, if mean space aliens did attack, the “humans are a virus” folks would not calmly hit their bongs and wait for the end. They would wee themselves and hide behind the people like me, who have all the guns.

Still, because they don’t think too deeply about things — if they did they’d be pro-life — abortion advocates and those who support free contraception on demand do not want more people around. That is the simple and scary fact.

They don’t loathe and fear the fetus because it isn’t a person. They loathe and fear it because it is a person. And they know it.

Have you heard of Pinterest? If you haven’t, don’t look it up. It will take you in. It’s an online pinboard where you can store photos (with embedded links) of stuff you like from all over the web in one handy spot. In theory, it is a convenient resource that allows one to keep track of recipes, fashions, and cool sites. In practice, it is a place where chicks who don’t even have boyfriends yet plan their weddings.

The gist of the piece is we are sick of hearing about people and we would rather think about (1) stuff, and (2) ourselves, and (3) how those two things might go together beautifully.

There is an upside that can be seen here, since Facebook is definitely more self-aggrandizing than Pinterest. But the point is, we are tired of hearing what other people are doing and we would rather look at different methods of putting on eyeliner.

I had all these things swirling around in my head. Seriously, you guys, it’s a mess in there. If you wonder where I go for days at a time, I am walking around with visions of leaping Manhattan deer and birth control compacts and eyeliner methods in my head. I wanted to write something about it but it was all a tangled mishmash.

So I sat down just now to write and — I swear this is true — I opened up a P.J. O’Rourke book for absolutely no reason, and literally opened up to a page that said this:

The real message of the conservative pro-life position is, as the prefix indicates, that we’re in favor of living. We consider people — with a few obvious exceptions — to be assets. Liberals consider people to be nuisances. People are always needing more government resources to feed, house, clothe them, pick up the trash after their rallies on the National Mall, and make sure their self-esteem is high enough to join community organizers lobbying for more government resources.

Bingo!

Is it as simple as that? Maybe it is. Maybe abortion advocates see every accidental pregnancy as a welfare check or an unfulfilled woman who has to has to take precious time out from her freelance graphic design career to rinse out baby food jars. Whereas you and I see a baby as a beautiful joyous gift of possibility and hope and love and adorable magicness that one day grows into a man or woman who maybe invents a cure that works in 30 seconds for those sores you get on your tongue that make you feel like the world is ending.

The simple and scary fact: all those people who have turned free or cheap abortion and contraception on demand into a right and a sacrament? They don’t like people.

They really hate people who out them as what they are. Selfish, lazy self-obsessed slobs. Kristen you are such a meanie. Now you are going to hurt their wittle feewings. I love people, liberals, not so much. Even though they are so very much like babies.

12angry_men

So you love people as long as they agree with you? Hmmm…that doesn’t sound very loving to me.

Kimberly Wedel

Get over your self already. It’s called sarcasm. Do you really have nothing better to do with your time than bother people on here? This must be like the tenth time you have responded to one of my posts. I sure wish this was like facebook where I could block annoying or stalking people. Go away and leave me alone.

12angry_men

Wait a minute, isn’t this site about changing the hearts and minds about people who disagree with you? Or at least learning more about the issue as a whole? I think your post above basically defeats that purpose. And furthermore, this is a free country, and an opinion site; so therefore, I will continue to express my opinion. And how is reading the comments in the comment section stalking? If you can’t handle the heat then get out of the kitchen honey.

Kimberly Wedel

Some hearts and minds are impossible to change. I see the futility in trying therefore when someone is just out for an argument I don’t engage them. You are certainly free to express your opinion. Why the need to constantly post your comments directly to me. I can take the heat but I have no intention of arguing with you, honey.

Sam

All hearts can be changed for the better. You just have to continue trying. There is no reason to mock people we do not agree with. (Excessively at least.)

Kimberly Wedel

Sam, I would love to believe that. I however don’t have it in me to try and convert people. I can only try for so long. You would not believe some of the things I have had said to me. I have spoken out against abortion on numerous sites and have had my life threatened, been called vile names and have even been told that my daughter with Down syndrome should die. After continously being mocked, insulted, ridiculed and threatened by pro-aborts, I just don’t have it in me to fight with them. I find that my time is better served just dismissing them. If you have the patience then please by all means work to convert. Our movement needs people than can. I am just not one of them at this time.

Kimberly Wedel

Sam, I would love to believe that. I however don’t have it in me to try and convert people. I can only try for so long. You would not believe some of the things I have had said to me. I have spoken out against abortion on numerous sites and have had my life threatened, been called vile names and have even been told that my daughter with Down syndrome should die. After continously being mocked, insulted, ridiculed and threatened by pro-aborts, I just don’t have it in me to fight with them. I find that my time is better served just dismissing them. If you have the patience then please by all means work to convert. Our movement needs people than can. I am just not one of them at this time.

MoonChild02

Kimberly, please don’t quit. We need strong voices like yours. There are many whose minds have been changed. Look at Abby Johnson, Jewels Green, Dr. Vansen Wong, etc. There are many who can be converted. It’s true that some may be a lost cause, but we have to keep trying. If we lose even one voice, it would be giving in to them. If we give in to them, then babies, women, men, and born children all lose. The babies who die, the women who are injured/killed, the men who lose hope, the children who lose their siblings and friends.

We have all been called horrible names, been insulted and mocked beyond belief, been threatened, etc. When we get hit with personal attacks, just means that we’re getting to them. When they start slinging insults, that means that you’ve hit a nerve. It means that they have a weakness, and they want to make you weak so that you stop weakening them. When bad things start to happen, that’s when you break out the truth and the spiritual warfare, because the devil has nothing left but to attack you personally. You just have to remember that God, Mama Mary, the angels, and the saints all have your back, as does everyone in the pro-life movement.

The pro-life movement is a team effort. We can’t do it alone, but together we can. Take a break, get your bearings straight, but please don’t give up. The Good Lord knows we’ve all had to take a breather from time to time, because we all lose hope. However, it’s important to keep marching on. We cannot let the devil win. If we do, everyone loses. God bless.

Jaceeniblett23

“some hearts and minds are impossible to change” like yours?

Kimberly Wedel

If you mean change my heart and mind to accepting the slaughter of helpless innocent pre-born babies then the answer is absolutely never. I would die before I would ever let my mind become so evil as to accept such brutality.

Jaceeniblett23

That’s very stereotypical of you. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to make that hard of a decision? If you have, i’m glad you had the choice. I’m glad you weren’t forced to give birth to a baby that you were NOT ready to have. Don’t tell me there is always another option. You have no position to tell me that my decision was brutal. You didn’t feel what i felt and you didn’t go through what I went through. Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean.

Kimberly Wedel

You have no idea what my life is like. I grew up in horrible conditions. I had very abusive parents and a very hard life. When I was pregnant with my first child the father became abusive. Not for one second did I consider murdering my child. I raised my son as a single mother. When pregnant with my second child the ultrasound suggested problems with my pregnancy. Possible soft markers for Down syndrome. Not for one second did I consider murdering my child. So don’t even try and tell me about tough choices. Heartless people make heartless decisions. Real women accept and love the children they are blessed with. So if you chose to murder your child and now feel guilt don’t take it out on me. Go seek the help you need instead of trying to justify your murderous choice by insulting loving people.

Ummm.Excuse me. Just because you decided to have sex and couldn’t handle the consequences, doesn’t mean you had to have an abortion! My sister is just finishing her first trimester and shes 16!!!! She wasn’t planning on having any kids but shes gonna keep the baby and love it just as much if not more than if she was married and planned to have the baby!!!

Elise77

You didn’t feel what your baby felt and you didn’t go through what he/she went through. I think it’s safe to assume that whatever difficulties you faced, they didn’t include being dismembered alive. So yeah, your decision was brutal. Maybe you didn’t realize that at the time and didn’t intend for it to be, but it was. You should really come to terms with that. It might prevent you from inflicting that on another child someday.

http://twitter.com/LadyAnnalyn Annalyn

Very enjoyable rant. I particularly liked the, and I quote, “aaaugugughghghghhhhhh overpopulationnnnn” paragraph. And the part where you said you were too tired to give people facts (ones I’m guessing you’ve researched and blogged and discussed on quite often), so go Google it. Quite fun.

Kristen

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!

Guest

It’s the conservatives who see babies as one more person on welfare. Conservatives who view a “child” in the womb as sacred, but out of the womb they see the child as a snivelling little welfare cheat. Conservatives are SO pro birth but not really pro life.

Hovish13

*ahem*
As a conservative, I can tell you that, no, we don’t like to have people on welfare. Why? Not because we dislike them or look down on them, but because welfare promotes entitlement. We’re entitled to certain protections by the Constitution (abortion on demand and free birth control for all were not mentioned, by the way), but in no way did the founding fathers intend for our country to be a nanny state. We also don’t like the fact that people on welfare (and medicaid) are being used as a whole voting bloc. Welfare shouldn’t be a voting bloc or a black hole that you can’t get out of- it should be a springboard to help people get OFF of welfare and become productive/successful members of society. That being said, we still want to make sure these kids are fed, get a good education, etc, etc, etc. It’s not that we don’t -care- about them- it’s just that we care enough to want them to get off the government’s baby bottle and do things on their own. *shrugs*

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001485371359 Grace Garner

Excuse me? That’s one sweeping, unfounded gerneralization. As I’ve studied abortion, I’ve come to hate it (abortion) more and more because it hurts every single person it touches (including abortion workers!), which is pretty much everyone in the world now because there are so many missing people (chances are, I didn’t get to meet one of my best friends because they were murdered).I’m pro-life because *abortions hurt everybody*. My point? I LOVE PEOPLE. Not in a “yay people I love talking to people and making friends and counseling them and being around them WHEEEEEEE” way. I’m not really a “people person”. I’ll be honest: I used to hate pro-choicers. I did. I don’t anymore though, and the only explanation for that that I have is that Christ is changing me. So where is the foundation of your statement? I see a child as a snivelling little welfare cheat? Well, for one thing, a child can’t care for themselves, so naturally they have to have someone else take care of them, so it isn’t their fault if they’re on welfare. For another thing, nobody’s perfect. I do believe that there are a lot of lazy on-welfare people around. I believe that there are lots of selfish brats that are a financial burden to the rest of us. Do they annoy me? Yes. You can dislike someone and still love them and care about them. I know that’s hard to understand, but it’s true. (That being said, everybody in the world, myself included, is a selfish brat. Just not everybody is a financial-burden-selfish-brat.)
The only thing I can think of that would make you think conservatives see the child in question as a snivelling little welfare cheat is that most conservatives want to reform the welfare system, and maybe you see that as heartless? But the reason we want to reform the welfare system is because it isn’t working, and, reformed, will actually better help more people. Not because we’re heartless people sick of taking care of the children of single moms.

MoonChild02

Who in the world said we were all conservatives? I’m a moderate.

I don’t mind people being on welfare because there are people that need help, and cannot care for themselves. I would rather that there were more people who helped out those who need help, but that just doesn’t cut it in today’s world of “me, me, me”.

When I typed it into Google, it also came up that if religious organizations were excluded, liberals give slightly more, but think about it: most charities are religious. The Catholic Church runs most of the charities in the world, including, but not limited to: hospitals, food pantries, women and children shelters, homeless shelters, job assistance and training programs, housing assistance and counseling programs, pregnancy resource centers, adoption agencies, migration and refugee services, rehabilitation centers, disaster relief services, help for trafficking victims, etc. Therefore, eliminating those charities from the equation means that the data will be very skewed.

guest

I’m not assuming everyone on the blog is conservative. I’m speaking about conservative politicians. Women most likely to want abortions are the women least able to take of them (read women who need to be on welfare if they have to stay home and take care of a baby). And as adamant as conservative politicians (like that lunatic Santorum) are that pregnant women give birth (even women who have been RAPED, for Christ’s sake!), they are equally adamant about getting rid of entitlements–the very programs that make it possible for some poor women to raise children. What kind of hypocrisy is that??? So in reality I misspoke before–they would call the mother a welfare cheat, probably not the child (until it got to be a certain age, at which point it would also be fair game for conservative finger-pointing.) Santorum wants to get rid of Medi-Cal, which pays for PRE-NATAL care for the poor women he so desperately wants to have babies. Conservatives used to be just that–conservative. They used to object to the government interfering with personal decisions. But the right has lost it collective mind.

ajenable

Pro-lifers believe that woman who have been raped should give birth because they are pregnant with a baby. You know, a human person who doesn’t deserve the death penalty for their father’s crime. Either abortion is wrong because it is the killing of a person, or its ok to come up with reasons why killing your offspring is acceptable. Such as rape, incest or I just don’t want to have a baby. We fight for all LIFE!

oldmanbob

You can say what ever you want be do not take my Saviors name in vain.

If you cannot speak without name calling, which only shows you have not yet grown up, then keep quite. You might learn something by useing your eyes and ears and your brain. Having a potty mouth show a potty brain. I really feel sorry for you that your have not learned that much by now.

guest

And you might learn something by reading the dictionary.
Saviors should be Savior’s
quite should be quiet
useing should be using
show should be shows
your should be you

Annlewis

Conservatives want to see people alive, happy and successful. That is why we don’t like welfare. It means something has failed somewhere, someone is not working and bettering themselves rather than dependent on handouts. Where is the dignity in not achieving for yourself? Where is the dignity getting handouts? That is why conservatives do not like welfare. We want everyone to be successful on their own merits.

12angry_men

What about those who cannot work because of physical or mental problems? I am curious to know what your opinion on this issue is.

Families and churches can care for the handicapped. Government doesn’t need to get involved.

12angry_men

Okay, but what if the handicapped has no family? And all the churches in our country could not afford to care for all the handicapped in our country and still have money to help others. I know a woman with severe cerebral palsy that cannot work and whose family cannot afford to help her. Is it wrong that she receives some money (hardly anything) from the government so that she can get by?

ForsythiaTheMariner

Welfare, as that wise-candidate-who-is-so-wise-that-he-is-always-ignored-out of-fear (Ron Paul),says is not good for society. It does more harm than good and is ultimately damaging. However, I will agree that to be truly pro-life would also mean not advocating or supporting politicians who advocate for or support wars until one has, themselves, truly investigated whether this war meets the Just War criteria. This takes time, which many of us would say we don’t have.
Great article by Kristen Walker, by the way.

Oedipa

Boy, Kristen, you built a bunch of straw-men for yourself there that were real easy for you to take some punches at, let me count some of them.

(1) Occupiers. Why are they still under the Right-wing’s craw? They protested for awhile, it’s mostly over now, and they changed the national dialogue. Why the grievance over that?
(2) “Fancy multi-million dollar organizations” advocating for contraceptives. Ummm, see that poll that says even 98% of Catholic women have used contraceptives? Those Catholic women aren’t multi-million dollar organizations.
(3) People who don’t want babies to remain “awesome, independent and progressive”. This completely ignores the importance of pregnancy spacing for mothers who may not know what exactly what a machiato is, but also don’t want to produce the Catholic family of yore with 8, 9, 10 kids. And, frnakly, the “rad” hipsters you fantasize in your piece don’t sound like the kind of people any of us would want having kids. They *should* be on contraceptives.
(4) Over-population hand-wringers. I don’t know any of these people. Maybe it’s a stupid argument that gets made to pro-life people alot, but most sober people know there’s this thing called “replacement birth rate” that has a real effect on economies. America’s ahead of the curve on that one only because of immigration. Europe and Japan, they’re in trouble, they’re in negative replacement territory.
(5) Liberals who “consider people to be a nuisance”. That’s so stupid I’m not even going to respond.

In any event, I think I know what your’re getting at. That we’d be better off as a society if we valued each other more, if we treated each other better, and could come together as a community. I just don’t know how a string of cliched liberal-baiting goes anywhere near working towards that.

Kristen

(1) Because they suck.
(2) Yes they are.
(3) NFP. Also: more eugenics? Where’s my shocked face?
(4) Holy crap, we agree on something!
(5) Every liberal I know considers everyone they don’t know and approve of a nuisance. And I know LOTS of liberals. I WAS a liberal.
Your last paragraph: No. That’s not what I’m getting at at all. I kind of like your “buy the world a coke” sentiment (and it is just that: sentiment), but not at any price. I don’t wanna hold hands and hug and eat veggie burgers with people like you who advocate baby murder. We’re not gonna be friends until you stop being super a-okay with abortion.
Also: my “cliched liberal-baiting” works. You’re baited. You comment on Live Action all day. Target engaged.
I think you’re wrong about (almost) everything and misinformed and I think your ideas are evil. You probably feel the same way about me. The difference is: I only care about 3%, which is to say long enough to write back to your comment, and then I go back to my life. You seem to care HARD. I’m glad my blogs have given you something to do.
I’m not gonna respond to you anymore so I’ll let you have the last word. Enjoy!

(3) The rhythm method. The perennial fall-back plan. Where’s *my* shocked face? And, really Kristen, eugenics? I know you people have a hang-up about Ms. Sanger’s era when eugenics was a tolerable opinion, but when you wield it like a cudgel against anyone who disagrees with you, you lose credibility.

(4) I think we’d agree on a lot, but your wholesale demonization of people who disagree with you (including your past self) won’t let us get there. I wonder if it’s your past that makes you that way. You know the old saying: the converted have to try twice as hard to prove their allegiance.

(5) Well, at least digitally, now you know me. I’m a liberal, who doesn’t consider people I don’t know or don’t condone nuisances. That’s another flippant (and unpersuasive) attempt at demonizing whole swaths of people.

And, lastly, Kristen, how am I supposed to take seriously your opinion that I’m misinformed and wrong and evil, when not too long ago, under the new formulation of Kristen Walker, Kristen Walker herself was misinformed and wrong and evil? What’s the new ideological fascination going to be when this one wears out?

Why then do I have to for their contraceptives? I bet these women would be offended if they had to cover my family’s car insurance.

Jordan Elizabeth

4. You don’t??!?!?! I KNOW LIKE A HUNDRED MILLION AND YOU CAN HAVE THEM FOR ALL I CARE EVERY SINGLE FRIGGIN DEBATE ENDS IN “Well, overpopulation….” AND GAH I’M SOOOOOOOOOO SICK OF IT PLEASE GET PEOPLE TO FRIGGIN CUT IT OUT

guest

Why are you sick of it? Does the truth of it threaten your position and make you uncomfortable? Because denying overpopulation is futile and will only harm the futures of children you insist must be born.

“They don’t loathe and fear the fetus because it isn’t a person. They loathe and fear it because it is a person. And they know it.”

YES.

By the way, Kristen, I agree with Oedipa that sometimes you get too extreme with your generalizations sometimes. Just so you know.

Kristen

Thank you for reading, Grace, but if I changed what I thought or what I wrote for everyone who has an opinion, I would be a terrible (and confused) person and writer. You may think I’m a terrible person and writer now, but at least my terribleness is authentic. Therefore, the only response I can honestly make to your opinon, harsh as it may sound, is “I don’t care.” However, I’m glad you’re reading. Take care.

12angry_men

For someone who loves people, you sure have a funny way of showing compassion towards them. But then again, you probably don’t care.

Christy

And you do 12angry_men??

12angry_men

What, show compassion or care? And I would call volunteering my time both showing compassion and caring.

Matthias

Great post, Kristen.

12angry_men

Well Kristen, I can honestly tell you that I know many liberals. And most of them are lovely people who do care about others. In fact, I know some who volunteer and actually do something to help other people way more than the conservative people that I know.

Jordan Elizabeth

And the reverse applies for me: as a conservative, I know many conservatives. (I am basing the “you are a liberal” assertion of the fact that you are pro-abortion, but correct me if I’m wrong. Back to the comment:) “I know many conservatives. And most of them are lovely people who do care about others. In fact, I know [plenty] who volunteer and actually do something to help other people way more than the liberal people I know.”

Perhaps both of our personal statistics are slightly skewed because I hang out with a whole bunch of “nice” conservatives (many of whom I volunteer WITH) and because you hang out with a whole bunch of “nice” liberals, and the only examples that really stick out in our minds are the awful ones of the other group. Now that I think about it, I know a liberal who sometimes volunteers (and yes, this is based off of a very small sample of liberals.)

guest

Jesus was a liberal.

Christy

No, he was not one to advocate murdering innocent babies, disobeying the law, using places that they were not intended to be used. He obeyed the law to the fullest, he loved. He was more of a rebel, in that he did not conform to the world, because he stayed in the Word of GOD, fully and completely.

TebowFTW

Who “liked” this? Jesus went out on his own and healed the sick and tended to the poor with his own loving hands. He wasn’t sitting on his rear, screaming at the govt to do it. Maybe you think he’s “liberal” (by modern day standards) because he did these things on foot, and not in a fossil fuel powered automobile. The ONLY thing he was “liberal” with was himself. Self giving (!!!!!!! WHAT A CONCEPT!!!!!!), that gave us REAL HOPE, REAL CHANGE and everlasting LIFE. And he didn’t force anybody to accept his way(another hallmark of modern liberalism–“Do or Die”). There is choice involved. But he encourages us to CHOOSE LIFE.

Annlewis

Jesus was God. He said marriage could not be dissolved. He said fornicators will not see God. He told people to repent of their sin and amend their lives. Sounds liberal to me…not. (Actual answer: God is neither, but he is definitely pro-life since he created it.)

guest

How do you know what Jesus said?

Elise77

Based on what? Chapter and verse, please; skip the touchy-feely freestyle interpretations.

Certainly He was “liberal” compared to the Pharisees, but compared to a MODERN-day “liberal”? Surely you jest. Please show me ONE shred of evidence to support that He was a save-the-trees shred-the-babies free-love hippie. Because off the top of my head I can think of about ten examples that would debunk that.

12angry_men

My comment was not meant to say that I am a liberal, or that I am pro abortion

Kristen M

I always enjoy your articles. I think we should be friends if only for the fact we are both named Kristen and quite frankly it’s an awesome name to have. lol *joking*

But it all reality, I do enjoy reading your articles. You so often have the exact same thoughts I do but often express them a whole lot better than I can. I love your comment about overpopulation. That particular “argument” really drives me nuts. I often wish I could reach through my computer screen and smack someone. I know that wouldn’t be nice but I still sometimes think it. Keep speaking the truth in your awesome and often funny ways. You’re always an enjoyable but also thought provoking read. =)

Jordan Elizabeth

“…and hide behind the people like me, who have all the guns.”

HAHA, yes!

MoonChild02

Awesome article Kristen!

I have never understood why pro-abortion-choicers are always going on about pro-lifers not caring about people, when they are the ones who complain that the earth is too populated, and are not the ones who run most of the charities out there. Who runs most charities? Religious organizations, particularly the Catholic Church.

One thing I will argue, though, is that aliens might not even want to attack us. Who says that they actually ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Fr. José Gabriel Funes, the director of the Vatican Observatory, has said,

“We borrow the gospel image of the lost sheep. The pastor leaves the 99 in the herd for go look for the one that is lost. We think that in this universe there can be 100 sheep, corresponding to diverse forms of creatures. We that belong to the human race could be precisely the lost sheep, sinners who have need of a pastor. God was made man in Jesus to save us. In this way, if other intelligent beings existed, it is not said that they would have need of redemption. They could remain in full friendship with their Creator.”

What it boils down to is babies. It’s something I don’t understand. The pro-choice position, that is. When is a baby not a baby? Every bulging womb means a little person, who will grow into Mozart, Einstein, E.B. White, or even just a lonely girl’s best friend. I know. I am a lonely girl whose best friend was almost aborted. I thank God every day that her parents chose life, and I wonder each day: How many best friends were just killed because of convenience?

guest

Hard to say. Just like it’s hard to say how many Hitlers and Charles Mansons and Zodiac Killers have been aborted.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=21403276 Carolyn Svellinger

I’ve been writing about this too: I wanted to take the subject of responsibility even deeper than babies. And for any true feminist, I think they’d be interested to know and feel empowered to take on the responsibility of knowing WHAT A WOMAN’S BODY CAN DO.

A true feminist should want to be educated about her body’s natural fertility process. This feminist would be able to read her body, know when she’s ovulating and when she’s fertile (OMGSH IT’S LIKE 4-5 DAYS OUT OF THE MONTH! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT) and if she doesn’t want a baby, she sleeps alone for those 4 days.

But too many of the ignorant-type-feminists “don’t have time” or don’t want to know about this because it’s not quick and easy. They instead, suppress their femininity with fake hormones… which a true feminist knows will increase her risk of developing uterine and Breast Cancer, and quite probably chemically abort a baby she’ll never know she had.

The other type of feminist upside down.

guest

True feminists know their bodies well enough to know that sperm can live inside the fallopian tubes for several days and so in reality there are far more than four days a month when intercourse can cause pregnancy.

Julie

Go to ccli.org and read about natural family planning – NOT the Rhythm Method. The Sympto-Thermal Method is 99% method-effective, when used according to the method rules. There are days when pregnancy absolutely can not be achieved, followed by days when the woman is slightly fertile (slight chance of becoming pregnant), followed by optimum fertility (Peak Day), followed by decreasing fertility (again slight chance of becoming pregnant) followed by Phase 3, which is the infertile phase. Women in Third World countries who are illiterate have even been taught this method using basic illustrations. In fact, agricultural societies understand this well: during the rainy season (cervical mucus present), a seed may “germinate”; whereas during the dry season (no cervical mucus), a seed can not germinate (the woman can not become pregnant). This method does require sacrifice and abstaining during fertile days (about 8, but can be longer depending on the individual woman & her cycle). This science was used to develop the birth control pill, ovulation predictor kits, and is used for women who are trying to achieve pregnancy. It is also relevant and useful for women who are trying to avoid pregnancy, but must be used within marriage. There are very strict guidelines for those who have very grave reasons to avoid pregnancy. However, many people, even if they are trying to achieve pregnancy, do not succeed in the first cycle, and in fact often it can take months or even years to achieve pregnancy. Women are not as fertile, nor as able to carry to term as our society would think. There is a 10% infertility rate and a 25% miscarriage rate! Fertility is a gift! Being able to carry one’s baby to term & not miscarry or have a preterm delivery is a gift! Abortion & contraception often destroy the gift of fertility. Abortion often destroys the gift of being able to carry a baby to term (abortion often causes pre-term delivery which often results in death or serious health issues for the baby).

Julie

This science was used to develop the birth control pill, ovulation
predictor kits, and is used for women who are trying to achieve
pregnancy. It is also relevant and useful for women who are trying to
avoid pregnancy, but must be used within marriage. There are very
strict guidelines for those who have very grave reasons to avoid
pregnancy. However, many people, even if they are trying to achieve
pregnancy, do not succeed in the first cycle, and in fact often it can
take months or even years to achieve pregnancy. Women are not as
fertile, nor as able to carry to term as our society would think. There
is a 10% infertility rate and a 25% miscarriage rate! Fertility is a
gift! Being able to carry one’s baby to term & not miscarry or have
a preterm delivery is a gift! Abortion & contraception often
destroy the gift of fertility. Abortion often destroys the gift of being able to carry a baby to term (abortion often causes pre-term delivery which often

Julie

Go to ccli.org and read
about natural family planning – NOT the Rhythm Method. The
Sympto-Thermal Method is 99% method-effective, when used according to
the method rules. There are days when pregnancy absolutely can not be
achieved, followed by days when the woman is slightly fertile (slight
chance of becoming pregnant), followed by optimum fertility (Peak Day),
followed by decreasing fertility (again slight chance of becoming
pregnant) followed by Phase 3, which is the infertile phase. Women in
Third World countries who are illiterate have even been taught this
method using basic illustrations. In fact, agricultural societies
understand this well: during the rainy season (cervical mucus present),
a seed may “germinate”; whereas during the dry season (no cervical
mucus), a seed can not germinate (the woman can not become pregnant).
This method does require sacrifice and abstaining during fertile days
(about 8, but can be longer depending on the individual woman & her
cycle).

The scientific evidence shows the baby is human. The idiotic legal interpretation does not consider the science and only calls it human because the mother wanted the unborn child. If she hadn’t wanted the child it would have been a single murder conviction.

Mei

Birth control is absolutely about responsibility. It’s irresponsible to bring a child into the world that you can’t afford to take care of. That’s not to say that this person will never have children, but being able to decide for oneself when it’s the right time is very important. What about a young married couple, just starting out? Maybe they’re saving money to being able to afford all the things a new baby needs (because we’re talking 18+ years of financial responsibility here…). Are they simply supposed to abstain from all sex while they wait until they’re financially prepared? It’s a ridiculous idea.
It’s also about health. Lots of women are on the pill for health reasons. I’m one of them. Women on the pill are less likely to miss school or work due to menstrual issues. I no longer have to skip class to stay in bed all day, because periods are manageable now. It’s not about religion. Stop pretending that this is some kind of war. It’s not.

C E M

1. Pro life is simply that. Its deciding that the chance of life for every human being is more important than whatever hogwash we convince ourselves is an adequate excuse for murdering the most innocent among us.

2. Overpopulation? Seriously? Is it a problem in parts of the world? Yes, but not due to birth rate alone. And if abortion is the answer to over population, what about euthanasia? I mean if we are going to kill off a portion of the population to prevent crowding, lets aim at the ones that have had a chance to live and not the ones just starting out? Sounds pretty stupid doesn’t it? When I talk of killing the elderly and disabled everyone – pro life and pro choice – would quickly burn me at the stake. So tell me pro-choice people… why is it ok to kill babies and not elderly?

I think I’ve said my peace. G’day all.

Chaucerbabe

The “liberals” are not forcing you to have an abortion or to use any kind of birth control. They are just fighting for freedom of choice – which this country is founded on. If you are against abortion or birth control – don’t use it. Just don’t force your morality or opinions or try to make laws on others who disagree with you.

Chaucerbabe

The “liberals” are not forcing you to have an abortion or to use any kind of birth control. They are just fighting for freedom of choice – which this country is founded on. If you are against abortion or birth control – don’t use it. Just don’t force your morality or opinions or try to make laws on others who disagree with you.

http://profile.yahoo.com/WVU73G3JVIZ7QFHZV7TD3HTYF4 LouL

Thank you for the fresh perspective. I’ll have to remember this the next time I read about a woman drowning her toddler or a man raping someone. I’ll take a step back and remember how I shouldn’t force my morality or opinions on someone else.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Doc-Kimble/100001742531811 Doc Kimble

I wonder what all those people think who overpopulation causes hunger, rising oceans, lead in the skies, general discomfort and hair loss think when they get a fatal diagnosis…is it….”Oh,NO !!” or “Oh, yessssss !” (fist pump)…. …?

ummmm…. and just to be clear …people don’t cause pollution, things cause pollution….so why do we get rid of the people….instead of the….things?

This may be wrong, but I’d be happy to cover at least barrier method contraception and/or sterilization for pro-“choicers,” because:

A. I’d rather prevent their unwanted pregnancies and, thus, their abortions, and
B. I’d rather they didn’t spawn a new generation of screaming me-me’s. Seriously, imagine the NEXT generation of “Occupiers.” If we simply outbreed them, we’ll win in the end. It may be our last, best hope.

I learned something tonight from a prolife doctor at a CCW meeting: ‘secular’ (that is “not prolife” doctors tell women that they are only a ‘little’ pregnant by using the term a ‘chemical’ pregnancy! Absurd. What is a chemical pregnancy? What will happen to that ‘chemical pregnancy’ if it is allowed to develop? Isn’t it funny the way people who think abortion is a ‘right’ use euphemisms to mask plain reality? It is an existential reality that, like it or not, abortion kills a human person, chemically human, genetically human, physically human. It’s not a rat, a frog, an amoeba (small-celled in number though it may be). This doctor who was speaking didn’t make this up. A woman who had had multiple miscarriages came to her for help when the ‘secular’ doctors at the Mayo clinic told her there was nothing else they could do besides continue to help her get pregnant. They had already exhausted their advanced techniques/chemicals. But they consoled this couple by telling them it was ok since none of the pregnancies had been anything more than ‘chemical’!!!! I seriously doubt that any of the doctors were a) women and b) had had miscarriages themselves. As anyone who has had a miscarriage, let alone multiple ones, knows, you grieve. And you’re not just grieving chemicals!

Violet Black

I know it’s not what you were intentionally getting at, but you’ve encouraged me to reflect on my own life plans. I’ve been ambivalent about the idea of marriage because on one hand, I’m generally regarded as not being responsible enough to live independently–but in an intimate relationship, there is always the possibility of conceiving a new person to be responsible for, which would bring me back to the original problem. Furthermore, while I’m afraid of being a parent myself, horror movies like Village of the D***ed remind me that most people don’t think highly of “strange” children like my own offspring would be, so I fear the results of adoption as well. (And of course having my poor little ubermensch dismembered in the womb was out of the question from the start. I’m still human in /some/ ways!) But you’ve reminded me that I’m only postponing these dilemmas. I’ve finally begun looking up concrete solutions to deal with my irresponsibility and the possibility of eventual motherhood.
Those Camphill communities look nice.